backyard

1 of 2

noun

back·​yard ˈbak-ˈyärd 

1

: an area at the rear of a house

2

: a nearby area : neighborhood

crimes committed in our own backyard

backyard

2 of 2

adjective

: located or occurring in a backyard

a backyard barbecue

also : lacking professional training : amateur

a backyard breeder

Synonyms

Noun

• environs
• neighborhood
• purlieus
• vicinage
• vicinity

Adjective

• amateur
• avocational
• jackleg
• nonprofessional
• Sunday

Examples of backyard in a Sentence

Noun

We spent the evening relaxing in the backyard.

shocked to learn that the wind farm would be right in our own backyard

Adjective

an orchid that is a favorite with backyard horticulturists

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But an underappreciated corollary has been the evaporation of Moscow’s stabilizing security presence in its own backyard. —Charlie Campbell / Yerevan, TIME, 22 Oct. 2024

Fortunately, Walmart has the perfect shed that’s easy to assemble and offers enough space for all of your backyard essentials. —Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024

Adjective

When entered by Chavez, as anticipated, his will mark the third guilty plea to come out of the investigation into Perry’s death; the actor was found dead in his backyard hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home in October. —Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Aug. 2024

Since 2022, about 22.9 million birds from backyard flocks and commercial facilities have been destroyed to keep the virus at bay in Iowa, the nation's top egg producer, according to USDA data. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 29 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1719, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

backyard

noun

back·​yard

-ˈyärd

1

: an area in back of a house

2

: an area in which one has a special interest